Channel 4 has commissioned Year of the Rabbit, a new six-part series starring BAFTA award-winning actor Matt Berry.
The series is irreverently and profanely inspired by the unhinged chaos of Victorian-era London and follows Detective Inspector Rabbit (Berry), a hardened booze-hound who’s seen it all, and his new, hapless, by-the-books partner played by Freddie Fox.
While they’re investigating a local murder, the lewd but insightful adoptive daughter, played by Susan Wokoma, of the chief of police joins them, becoming the country’s first female officer.
Together, the trio must fight crime while rubbing shoulders with street gangs, crooked politicians, Bulgarian princes, spiritualists, music hall stars and the Elephant Man.
Year of the Rabbit will be directed by BAFTA-nominated Ben Taylor (Catastrophe) and written by Emmy and WGA Award-winners Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil (Veep), with additional material from Matt Berry.
Speaking about the series, Matt Berry says “I’m very much looking forward to working with Channel 4 again, and IFC for the first time, as I'm equally looking forward to stepping back in time to fight crime in the same significant year which bought us Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Elephant Man and of course Jack The Ripper.”
Head of Comedy at Channel 4, Fiona McDermott, says: “Imagine The Sweeney in Victorian England and you’re getting close to the heady misguided machismo that runs rife in this series. It’s an amazing vehicle for Matt’s talents and together with Susan and Freddie and the wealth of talent off-camera, we are thrilled to have it on the channel.”